Sermon: Commemoration of Martin Luther (Death) 1

Commemoration of Martin Luther (Death)
February 18

Observed February 19, 2017

by James Baneck, President, North Dakota District, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Introduction to the Sermon

Into Your Hand I commit My Spirit

Martin Luther died around 3 a.m. on February 18, 1546. That night, Luther prayed Psalm 31:5 four times: “Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” The piece of paper found in Luther’s pocket that night read: “This is true. We are all beggars.” Luther believed that God calls all sinners to repent, to forsake their wicked ways, and to return to the Lord. As a beggar before God, Luther confessed that he was a poor, miserable sinner in the arms of a compassionate God who pardons abundantly (Isaiah 55:1–11). Luther believed that he was saved solely by the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. Luther believed that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:5–17). This Christ-centered faith and life gets to the heart of Luther’s understanding of justification and salvation through Christ alone. As Luther waited to enter the Church Triumphant, he believed that, from the time of his Baptism, he had been a living branch grafted into the true Vine, Jesus Christ, and had life eternal (John 15:1–11).

Sermon Preparation Notes

Sermon Title

“Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit.”

Text

Psalm 31:5

Central Theme

The central theme of this sermon is stated in its concluding paragraph. Four times on the night of his death, Martin Luther is known to have spoken Psalm 31:5, “Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” The intent of the sermon is for the hearer to journey toward death with Luther, drawing the hearer into reflection on his own faith, life, death, and eternity.

The preacher will note that, as Luther recited Psalm 31:5 four times on the night of his death, so these same words are woven into this sermon four times as well.

Pericope

Psalm 25:1–14 (15–22); Isaiah 55:6–11; Romans 10:5–17; John 15:1–11

A commemoration sermon carries with it certain challenges. The biblical pericopes obviously do not speak directly to Luther’s death per se. However, these biblical texts have been carefully assigned to speak to a specific sixteenth-century event. Very much like writing a funeral or wedding sermon, these texts are used to frame and build this sermon.

Historical Account

The historical events surrounding Luther’s death have been used as a skeleton in developing this sermon. As this sermon is written to commemorate Luther’s death, it is valuable for the hearer to be familiar with the historical context, actual details, and conversations surrounding the reformer’s death.

In addition, as death is a reality in the faith and life of all people, it is important to include the hearer in the real-life situation of Luther’s death. It is valuable to bring the hearer into the historical moment, recounting Luther’ physical ailments, his emotions and struggle between life and death, and the Christ-centered faith he confesses.

Every sermon should first and foremost concern itself with preaching Christ crucified, with a great awareness of Law and Gospel, and connecting the biblical text with the faith and life of the hearer. In addition, preaching on the commemoration of Luther’s death, in a notable anniversary year of Lutheranism, the sermon may also be used to teach this particular aspect of significant Reformation history.

Major Themes—Three Sections

While the skeleton of the sermon is built historically, the three main readings appointed for this commemoration give the historical account theological meaning.

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 55:6–11. The first section of the sermon is introduced by the piece of paper found in Luther’s pocket at the time of his death. Luther’s statement of faith that we are all beggars ties in with the theme of repentance. The Old Testament Reading is used in the sermon to preach on man’s total depravity and his need to repent before God, not only at his death but also each day of his life.

In Isaiah 55, God is calling Israel to repentance. This is at the time when Babylon is soon to overtake Jerusalem and exile God’s people, which becomes a reality around 587 BC. Through the prophet Isaiah, God accuses Israel of having turned away from Him, and the prophet is now calling her to “return to the Lord.” He is pleading with Israel to “seek the Lord while He may be found,” for He is very ready to have compassion on her and to pardon her.

This sermon weds words from Luther’s Isaiah lectures with the themes of “beggar” and “repentance.” In his own words, Luther not only describes himself as a beggar before God but also as a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness. Luther describes himself as “still feeble.”

Connecting the hearer to Luther’s own confession as a sinful beggar pleading dependence upon God’s mercy can be powerful for the hearer in the pew. As Luther was repentant before God, so the hearer is also called to repentance in the preaching of this sermon.

Epistle Reading: Romans 10:5–17. The second section of the sermon begins with Luther waking up in pain and telling his colleague and friend, Justus Jonas, that he will remain in Eisleben. Luther is aware that he is going to die. Knowing that death was coming soon, Luther recited God’s Word concerning salvation in Jesus Christ. These words from the apostle Paul shaped Luther’s understanding of justification.

The assigned Epistle Reading for this commemoration is saturated with themes of righteousness/justification (δικαιοσύνη, vv. 5, 6, 10) and salvation (σωτηρία, v. 10). Luther began his lectures on the Book of Romans in 1515. No doubt, those lectures shaped and influenced his formulation of the Ninety-Five Theses. In his death, Luther firmly confessed his salvation in Jesus Christ alone. Luther knew his salvation was not based on his good works, on any works of penance, on any amount of prayers spoken, on any indulgences purchased, or on any Masses bought. Luther was convinced by Holy Scripture that whoever believes in Jesus Christ alone will be eternally saved.

In his Romans lectures, Luther expands on the biblical motifs of justification and salvation. Already in quotations cited in this sermon from his Romans lectures, one can see Luther discovering Scripture’s rich Christology. Eleven years prior to his death, Luther’s Christology further expanded, as seen in his 1535 lectures on Galatians. This sermon incorporates rich salvific quotes from Luther’s Galatians lectures in regard to Luther’s Christology and in relation to his understanding of justification, atonement, and salvation through Christ alone. Luther’s prayer of Psalm 31:5 four times on the night of his death gives witness to his faith in a Jesus who becomes Luther’s sin so that Luther, in blessed exchange, receives the full righteousness of Christ. It’s no wonder, then, that Luther can confidently commit his spirit to the eternal Judge—because the eternal Judge has purchased the beggar Luther with His own blood, death, and resurrection.

Again, it is important to connect the biblical text and the sermon preached to the faith and life of the hearer. This sermon includes for you language in each of its three sections. This is not only a sermon about Luther’s death and resurrection; this is a sermon about the death and resurrection of every believer in Jesus Christ.

Gospel Reading: John 15:1–11. The third section of this sermon begins with Luther reciting Psalm 31:5 three times. Immediately following this intended or unintended Trinitarian confession, Justus Jonas asked Luther a question. Rev. Dr. Jonas was assuming the role of pastor out of godly concern for Luther’s soul. Jonas asked Luther if he was ready to die trusting in his Lord Jesus Christ and in the doctrine Luther taught in Christ’s name. Consider the immensity of this question! Luther eventually became separated from the Roman Church; he prepared and participated in many high-powered debates; he affected and influenced all Christianity not only in his day but also for centuries to come. Who is this man to change the course of world history? Who is this man to affect the faith and life of millions? Who is this man to be the father of a confessional Church, seminaries, publishing houses, and more? Could Luther trust in this Jesus Christ as he had learned to know Him from Holy Scripture? As he faces the eternal Judge of his soul, could Luther in good conscience be confident of the doctrine he confessed in Jesus Christ? And the answer is “Ja.” Indeed, this poor beggar put his trust, life, death, and eternal soul in the bloody arms of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel Reading in the sermon frames the faith and life of the Christian. John 15 is known to be one of Luther’s favorite portions of Scripture. Luther writes extensively on John 15 in his 1537 sermons on the Gospel of St. John. Everything that the Christian is comes from being a branch grafted into the divine Vine. The Vine is Christ, the Life-giver. The branch lives, thrives, is nourished, and bears fruit because of its life-source, the Vine, Jesus Christ. The branches receive everything the Vine gives through the preached Word, Holy Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. The Christian’s ongoing daily life, and weekly and yearly rhythm, has everything to do with being in the Vine.

The Christian’s earthly identity and life is defined by Christ living in and through him. The Christian life, in his daily vocation, is a Galatians 2 reality; it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us. Luther proclaims powerful and comforting Gospel in his John 15 sermon, especially as He confesses Jesus as the victor over sin, death, and the devil. The Christian who is grafted in the Vine is grafted into everlasting salvation and eternal victory.

Law and Gospel

Law and Gospel preaching is absolutely necessary when proclaiming the Word of God. In 1525, Luther preached the sermon “How Christians Should Regard Moses.” Every preacher should read the paragraph concerning Law and Gospel preaching which begins: “Now the first sermon, and doctrine, is the law of God. The second is the gospel ...”[1]

In this sermon on the commemoration of Martin Luther’s death, Law and Gospel is preached in each of the three sections. This is due to the fact that it is arranged chronologically.

In the first section, the Law is preached by convicting the hearer that he is a beggar before God and is like grass that will wither and die. The sinner is called to repentance. The Gospel is proclaimed by announcing God’s compassion and pardon on the repentant beggar.

As a continuation of the Law from the first section, the Law fills the room with looming death. Death is a consequence of sin. God promises to kill the sinner. In this section, the sinner is called upon to reflect his confidence and boldness before God in his own hour of death. The rhetorical reality is that the sinner has no inherent confidence or boldness before the triune God. In the throes of death, however, this second section saturates the repentant sinner in the mercy and grace of God through Jesus Christ. The Gospel is articulated through Luther’s writings based on Holy Scripture. These writings include Luther’s Romans lectures, the Smalcald Articles, and Luther’s Galatians lectures. Christ’s blessed exchange with sinners can bring no greater comfort in the hour of death. Here is the sweetest Gospel.

In the third section, the sermon reveals that Dr. Jonas asked Luther an amazing pastoral question. This question forced Luther to look at the end of his life in terms of Law and Gospel. Imagine if, in his hour of death, Luther recanted all that he had taught in Christ’s name. If Luther recanted, it would mean that Luther had put his eternal salvation in his own hands, his own works, and his own good. Luther, however, did not put his soul into his own hands, but in the hands of Him who bled that bled and died, even Jesus Christ, his gracious and only Savior. The Law is also applied to the hearer by announcing the hopelessness of the hearer who refuses to be connected to the Vine, Jesus Christ. The Gospel is proclaimed by articulating that Jesus Christ is the true Vine through whom every sinner receives sustenance, nourishment, forgiveness of sins, and eternal salvation.

Resources

Many of Luther’s Works are cited in this sermon and sermon notes. It is strongly suggested that the sections of Luther’s Works cited be read in their entirety for a greater understanding of Luther’s thoughts and theology.

In addition to Luther, further recommended readings include Christ Have Mercy by Matthew C. Harrison, especially chapter 8, “Christ Cares for the Needy, Body and Soul” (St. Louis: Concordia, 2008); and Luther the Reformer by James M. Kittelson, especially chapter 18, “We Are All Beggars” (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1986).

Sermon: Commemoration of Martin Luther (Death) 11

Sermon

Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit

Introduction

Martin Luther is now 62 years old. This man, who achieved so much, is now growing tired and weak. In November 1545, Luther finished his lectures on Genesis and said, “I can do no more, for I am too weak.”

Then there was an ongoing squabble among the three brothers who were leaders (or counts) in the city of Mansfeld[2]—it all had to do with property and money and power. On January 23, 1546, Luther set out for Mansfeld (just northwest of Eisleben[3]) to mediate this family feud. It was a cold German winter, and crossing the swollen icy Salle River was difficult. On his way to Mansfeld, Luther suddenly became weak. And yet, by mid-February, Luther had helped the counts come to an agreement, and peace was restored, but Luther felt weaker still.